It’ll be the biggest show they’ve played with an estimated 385,000 expected to be in attendance. And it’s really all part of his mission to bring more blues music to the Twin Cities and surrounding areas.
“Growing up as a young kid in the Twin Cities I never knew there was a blues scene,” he tells Digital Journal via email. “None of my friends were into that music so I played the blues alone for a long time.”
That all changed when he found a local non-profit called the Minnesota Blues Society whose “mission is to preserve, commemorate, educate, celebrate and promote the past, present and future of Blues music in Minnesota.” Filipovich is the non-profit’s Education Director, and is doing all he can to help spread the word about local blues music, and educate people on it.
As for the concert itself, it marks a year and a half since he made the decision to pursue music full time. He had put it off for 12 years while he worked in sales. Then he got laid off, and also became a single father at the same time. So he was at what he called a “crossroads.” He decided to focus on his music, the blues.
“I had this intense urge to do something with music and it was driving me crazy,” he writes in the email. “I needed to get it out of my system before I started the next job.”
His decision paid off. He recorded and released his first album, Release, with singer Aurora and released it last May. His songs have gotten plaid in both the United States and Europe, and he’s toured regionally. In addition to the Uptown Art Fair, he and The Blue Cities have played at Highland Fest, Eau Claire Jazz Festival, and a few others. They plan to expand to add more to their festival run next year.
Also, in store for the band is recording songs for an album, and Filipovich has plans for a “Music in the Parks” series next summer as well as a “blues in schools” education program. And he’ll all of that right after he makes his guitar sing for everyone at the Uptown Art Fair tonight. He just wishes he had more time to do everything.
“I wish there were more hours in the day to play, practice, and play again,” he writes.
You can purchase Release: here
